Advances in the Diagnosis of Fetal Defects

FETAL diagnosis is a young and rapidly changing field of study aimed at detecting fetal disease and improving its management. The current success of fetal diagnosis is the product of new methods for the anatomical and biochemical evaluation of the unborn human. Of these tools, ultrasonography has become the dominant technique for visualizing the fetus in utero. At the same time, the cytogenetic and biochemical makeup of the fetus is increasingly accessible to study by a variety of laboratory tests. This paper will describe the newest methods in antenatal diagnosis and discuss the changing roles of the more established techniques. . . .